Royal Commission for the Investigation of all Grievances Affecting His Majesty's Subjects of Lower Canada

The Royal Commission for the Investigation of all Grievances Affecting His Majesty's Subjects of Lower Canada was established 7 years after the publication of the report of a Select Committee of the House of Commons on the Civil Government of Canada, which had recommended important constitutional changes that were never effected.

Governor Gosford lead the royal commission of inquiry as commissioner together with Charles Edward Grey and George Gipps. They received instructions from Charles Grant, 1st Baron Glenelg, Secretary of State for War and the Colonies.

Report

Five reports, in addition to a conclusive general report were prepared by the commission.

The commissioners published a first report on financial matters in January 1836. Drafted by Gipps, the report recommended all crown revenues to be surrendered to the Legislative Assembly with the exception of a modest civil list. A second report was published in March. It recommended the "Revenue Act" of 1831 to be repealed to place at the disposal of the Executive sufficient funds to carry on the essential services of government. In May, a third report rejected the constitutional change whereby the Executive Council members would be responsible before the elective House of Assembly. [Phillip Buckner. [http://www.biographi.ca/EN/ShowBio.asp?BioId=37329 Acheson, Archibald, 2nd Earl of Gosford] , in Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online, retrieved March 9, 2008]

A final report was published on November 17, 1836. Was rejected the idea of modifying the electoral system to increase the representation of British settlers in the colony.

The commission's work became the basis of the ten resolutions which John Russell, then Whig Secretary of State for the Home Department, submitted to the House of Commons on March 6, 1837.

Notes

References

* Buckner, Phillip. " [http://www.biographi.ca/EN/ShowBio.asp?BioId=37329 Acheson, Archibald, 2nd Earl of Gosford] ", in the "Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online", University of Toronto and Université Laval, 2000
* "Reports of Commissioners on Grievances Complained of in Lower Canada. Ordered by the House of Commons to be printed, 20th February, 1837", in "Parliamentary Papers", 1837, XXIV, 3-416. ( [http://books.google.ca/books?id=pkoSAAAAYAAJ online] )
* Russell, John. "Resolutions intended to be proposed by Lord John Russell, in a committee of the whole house, relative to the affairs of Canada", March 1837 ( [http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Resolutions_intended_to_be_proposed_by_Lord_John_Russell%2C_in_a_committee_of_the_whole_house%2C_relative_to_the_affairs_of_Canada online] )
* Mill, John Stuart. "Radical Party and Canada: Lord Durham and the Canadians", in "London and Westminster Review", VI & XXVIII, 502-33, January 1838 ( [http://english.republiquelibre.org/Radical_Party_and_Canada:_Lord_Durham_and_the_Canadians online] )

See also

* Lower Canada Rebellion
* Constitutional history of Canada